


Buried Alive

by RichardGraysonPercyJackson



Series: The Forbidden Love of Nightwing and Deathstroke [39]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Buried Alive, Character Death, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mirakuru Slade Wilson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-10 22:57:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18670072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RichardGraysonPercyJackson/pseuds/RichardGraysonPercyJackson
Summary: "There's not much oxygen left.""I love you little bird."





	Buried Alive

The last thing Slade remembered was slipping through the apartment window before engaging a few rounds of absolutely  _ spectacular  _ sex with his husband before crawling into bed with Dick in his arms and falling almost instantly to sleep in his bed in his apartment with his husband.

That’s what he remembered. Which, oddly, didn’t coincide with the location he found himself waking up in what felt like a wooden box.

Taking a slow breath, Slade used his hands to feel over himself. He was dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants and around his neck he found-

“Fuck,” he whispered, running his fingers over the inhibitor collar whose little light was blinking stubbornly, lighting up the box ever so slightly. Slade had used these collars on his targets before and he knew for a fact they did their job.

Like right now, where they were inhibiting his strength and thus preventing him from breaking through the box to find out where he was. Sighing, Slade ran his hands along the sides and top of the box.

It didn’t take long to figure out he was buried alive, especially when he felt the dirt next to him. Shaking his head slightly, Slade continued to scan what he could reach of his environment and found a flashlight and flip phone resting on his stomach.

When he opened the flip phone, a small index card fell out. Using the light from the flashlight, Slade lifted the note.

_ To say goodbye. _

Frowning, Slade picked up the phone and turned it on.

There was only one phone number.

_ To say goodbye. _

Slade cursed colorfully.

 

……………

 

“So where’s Slade today?” Jason asked as he lounged on the couch, legs thrown over Dick’s lap since the acrobat had  _ insisted _ on sitting on the couch with him.

“No idea, he was gone before I woke up,” Dick replied with a shrug. “Which isn’t abnormal, but he didn’t leave a note which  _ is  _ weird.”

“Dickie, he’s a fully grown man,” Jason said. “Who...can apply for a senior discount and probably get half off on viagra.” he grinned at the glare Dick shot him. “My point is, he’s a big boy who can take care of himself.”

“I know,” Dick said, absolutely  _ not  _ pouting. “I just didn’t think he had anything he had to do today. Usually he tells me. Or at least wakes me up to say goodbye.”

“Well Dickie, maybe he just-”

He was cut off when Dick’s phone started ringing. “It’s Slade,” Dick said, grinning at Jason before answering. “Hey! What’s up?”

_ “Good morning, sweetheart.” _

Dick chuckled though there was a stab of unease in his stomach. “I mean...it’s one in the afternoon but thanks?”

He heard Slade curse quietly.  _ “I’m making up for not saying it this morning. How has your day been?” _

“Fine,” Dick replied, leaning into the couch. “I mean, I’ve missed my husband but I’ve spent the day with Jay at the manor-”

“Against my will!” Jason called, loud enough for Slade to hear.

Dick rolled his eyes. “Anyway, how has your day been?”

“ _ Good _ ,” Slade said softly, gently.  _ “It’s been good. Dick, you know I love you right?” _

Dick frowned, leaning forward and drawing Jason’s attention. “I do,” he replied softly. “I love you too. When are you coming home?”

_ “Not until late, _ ” Slade replied, still in that soft, gentle voice. “ _ I love you, Dick. I have loved you for a long time and I hate every moment we wasted fighting. The past three years of marriage and two years of dating before that were some of the best in my life-” _

“Slade,” Dick whispered, tears in his eyes. “Why does it feel like you’re saying goodbye?”

Slade let out a quiet breath.  _ “I didn’t leave of my own free will this morning.” _

Dick shoved Jason’s legs away and stood instantly. “Where are you?”

Slade gave a soft laugh.  _ “I don’t know _ ,” he replied.  _ “I woke up a few minutes before I called you.” _

“Slade, where are you?” Dick demanded, glancing over when Jason stood. “I’ll come get you.”

_ “I don’t think you can, little bird,”  _ Slade murmured.

Dick’s bottom lip shook. “Slade, why won’t you tell me?”

_ “Because I don’t know _ ,” Slade admitted.  _ “I’ve been buried alive.” _

Dick was quiet. “But you can get out, right?” he whispered. “You have super strength. Can’t you just-”

“ _ Whoever took me knows I’m enhanced _ ,” Slade explained.  _ “There’s an inhibitor collar around my neck. I can’t get out.” _

“No, Slade, you can’t…” Tears filled Dick’s eyes. “We’re going to find you, okay? We-we’ll track the phone, okay?”

_ “Dick _ .”

“Shut up,” Dick snapped, already rushing to the batcave, Jason quick on his heels. “We’re going to find you, okay? You’re not going to die!”

“ _ Dick, _ ” Slade said again, this time with more force.  _ “I’ve been here for hours. There’s not enough oxygen for you to find me.” _

“No, stop!” Dick pleaded. “Bruce can find you.”

_ “Kid, it’s already hard to breathe _ ,” Slade whispered. His breaths were already wheezing in his chest but he was trying not to let Dick hear.  _ “There’s no other choice. You have to let me go.” _

Dick stopped in the middle of the batcave, tears blurring his vision. “Slade, I can’t do this,” he whimpered, tears dripping down his cheeks. “Please.”

_ “There’s not much oxygen left.” _

Dick sobbed, covering his mouth with his hand. “Slade,” he whispered, barely noticing when Bruce took the phone and put it on speaker phone, taking it over to the computer while Jason placed his hands on Dick’s shoudlers and guided him after it.

_ “I love you, pretty bird _ ,” Slade murmured.

“I love you too,” Dick whispered, leaning into Jason as Bruce furiously worked to track the signal. “I’ll stay. Until the end.”

Slade allowed himself a small smile, even as his head began to pound. “ _ I know you will _ ,” he said gently, letting his body relax.  _ “I love you so much, Dick.” _

Dick had been through a lot. Seen a lot. Watched his parents die.

Hearing his husband suffocate over the phone while Dick couldn’t do anything to help was one of the worst things he’d ever had to experience.

“Slade?” Dick whispered when Slade’s line went silent. He sobbed, turning and burying his face in Jason’s neck. “Oh my god.”

The cave was silent for a long time. “We can still find him,” Bruce said softly. “The body. For a funeral.”

“We won’t get one,” Dick whispered. “The Government will take it away and burn it.” he sobbed. “I can’t even give him a proper burial!”

The cave remained silent after that, save for Dick’s loud and broken sobs.

 

…………..

 

“Are you sure you want to come back here?” Jason asked softly as he drove Dick back to the apartment he and Slade had shared.

Dick didn’t reply, eyes dry from spending the last several hours sobbing. He’d left his phone at the manor by mistake but he didn’t care enough to go back and get it.

“Dick?” Jason asked quietly.

“I just want to go to bed,” Dick replied.

Jason nodded, pulling into the parking lot and turning off the car. “Do you want me to stay?”

“No.”

Jason nodded again, watching as Dick got out of the car and trudged to his apartment. 

 

………….

 

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

 

“I wouldn’t take that off if I were you. You were technically dead for a few hours.”

Slade peeled his eye open to glare up at Jason Todd who stood nearby, arms crossed over his chest. Ignoring the warning, Slade reached up and removed the oxygen mask over his face, slowly pushing himself into a seated position. He swayed almost instantly and likely would have fallen if Jason hadn’t grabbed his arm and shoved him back.

“Where am I?” he demanded, ignoring how each breath felt like something between a struggle and a gasp.

“Welcome to the batcave,” Jason replied with a grin, placing his hands on his hips. “You were in some really deep shit. Enough that Bruce said ‘fuck it’ to rules and let you in here.”

Slade grunted, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing, glaring at Jason when the crime boss tried to help him.

“Where’s Dick?” Slade demanded.

“I think you need to stay here and rest,” Jason warned.

Slade ignored him. “Where. Is. Richard?” he demanded.

Jason raised an eyebrow. “You know, you’re much less threatening when you’ve been oxygen deprived for several hours. I’m amazed you aren’t brain damaged.”

“Mirakuru,” Slade said for explanation. “It’s not going to let me completely die that quickly.”

“Good to know,” Jason muttered.

“Now,” Slade said calmly, gazing down at Jason. “Where’s my husband?”

“At the apartment,” Jason replied. “He...he didn’t handle your death well.”

“Take me there,” Slade demanded. “Or have you already called him?”

“He left his phone here since B was tracking it and he was...distressed,” Jason replied with a wince. “It’s probably good that he did or we never would have found you.”

“Are you going to drive me there or do I have to hotwire a car?”

“Nah, I’ll drive,” Jason replied. “It’s like, one in the morning just so you know.”

“It’s been twelve hours since I died,” Slade noted as he followed Jason out of the batcave, through the manor, to the garage.

“Actually,” Jason said slowly. “You died about five days ago. We found you about twenty minutes after you died but you’ve been unconscious since then.”

Slade cursed quietly. “Have any of you checked on Richard?”

“He won’t answer his door,” Jason replied. “And he screamed at  _ Damian  _ of all people when the brat tried to tell him you were alive. So we...well, we decided to just wait until you woke up. Believe me, we really tried to help.”

“So knowing Dick, he hasn’t eaten in several days,” Slade guessed.

“Probably,” Jason agreed, nodding. “Take care of him, please?”

“We’ve been married for three years,” Slade reminded him. “I’ll always take care of him.”

 

……………….

 

As expected when Slade stepped into the apartment and closed the door in Jason’s face, there was not a single sign of life.

It really showed Dick’s poor mental state that the front door hadn’t even been locked. Moving quietly, Slade stepped around the couch and found Dick.

“Oh kid,” he whispered.

Dick was curled up in one of the blankets Slade usually kept on his side of the bed. Eyes staring blankly at the wall, unfocused. His hair was tangled and greasy and he was pale. He looked like he hadn’t moved in a long time.

Sighing, Slade knelt down and carefully peeled the blanket away, instantly recognizing the shirt Dick was wearing as one of his own.

“Oh little bird,” he murmured, gently sliding one arm under Dick’s back and knees, lifting him up. Dick’s breath hitched but he otherwise didn’t react save for his eyes sliding closed. “It’s alright,” he whispered when Dick began to shiver as Slade carried him back to the bedroom.

He laid him down and stripped him out of the dirty clothes, going to the bathroom to soak a washcloth in warm water. Once he’d wiped Dick over, just to clean him up a little, he helped the acrobat into a clean pair of clothes before climbing into bed with him.

Slade himself felt gross and knew he’d need a shower in the morning but Dick was, at the moment, his main priority.

 

……….

 

Dick woke up to a hand card through his hair. He shifted, frowning before slowly peeling his eyes open and coming face to face with Slade.

He gasped, sitting up and backpedaling, almost falling off the edge of the bed. He would have, if Slade hadn’t grabbed his arms and caught him.

The mercenary’s hair was wet and he’d obviously recently taken a shower. Dick’s hair was also wet and he wondered if Slade had given him a bath as well.

“Slade?” he whispered, reaching out only to hesitate.

“It’s me,” Slade assured, reaching up to cup Dick’s cheek. “I’m not dead.”

“Oh my god,” Dick whispered, tears blurring his vision as he threw himself at Slade, wrapping his arms around his husband’s neck as he began to sob. “Oh god! Oh god, Slade!”

“Shh,” Slade soothed, sitting up and pulling Dick into his lap, wrapping his arms around the acrobat’s back. “Shh, it’s alright. I’m here. It’s alright.”

“I thought I lost you!” Dick sobbed. “Oh god, Slade!”

“You didn’t lose me,” Slade whispered. “You won't get rid of me that easily.”

**Author's Note:**

> Totally leave a comment!!


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